This was explained in post #7 of this thread. It's pretty obvious that a Polish-American who cannot write in Polish will simply write the word "dziadzia" by using the closest English spelling which in this case would be "jaja".

By saying JaJa, she probably wants to say DziaDzia or "Dziadzia", the name for grandfather in childrens' talk.

I live in Chicago. I called my grandparents Nani & Papa. My grandmother's mother and father were called Busha and JaJa. Well actually it was Little Busha and her mother was Big Busha because of the size difference, supposedly. Not sure of the spellings, but this seems to be a thing in the polish community.

I think this busha bussiness is a perfect example how Polish language gets convoluted by second generation immigrants.BTW, you're right, I probably spelled dźadźa wrong. I think it's dziadzia, or in its more popular use in Poland: dziadzio.

My great grandparents came to Chicago around 1860. My great grandmother was always called Busha (phoentically spelled).Given all the evidence of Polish ladies being called Busha in varying locations in the US, it only stands to reason that this came from Poland. Especially because my whole family, including mother, spoke Polish. Why make up a word?

I was born in Poland and my parents and grand parents were also born in Poland and spent there their entire lives and nor me nor them have ever heard that "busha" word so it must be some Polish-American slang.

Wulkan, what you say is interesting. It probably isn't American slang any more than words like "gotten" are slang. "Gotten" is used over there, was current in England During a period when people were emigrating to the U.S. and is not used now. This 'busha' thing (busia would be better really) probably comes from babusia. Not used so much now, but perhaps curret in parts of Poland at the time of mass emigration and still used as a family word by some Americans whose ancestors were Polish.

Given all the evidence of Polish ladies being called Busha in varying locations in the US, it only stands to reason that this came from Poland.

I knew this topic would sooner or later emerge on the PF again (it is one of the most favourite topics here), so it is worthwhile to quote what the more serious Polish-Americans have to say about it:

Here's the link to this website: ampoleagle.com/busia-or-babcia-ongoing-controversy-p4400-125.htm

And here is the most essential part of that article:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The authoritative multi-volume Słownik Języka Polskiego (dictionary) of Karłowicz, Kryński and Niedźwiedzki (Warsaw, 1905) lists the following forms: babka, babcia, babciutka, babeczka, babusia, babuś, babuchna, babunia, babuńcia, babuleńka and babulinka.The busia version is not among them.

That means that busia is a strictly Polish-American term part of an indigenous Polonian culture like polka music which is unknown in Poland. Nobody knows when, where and why the first American with Polish immigrant roots uttered the word busia. It could have originated as baby talk by someone too young to say babusia, one of the forms listed above. Whatever the case, it somehow caught on and can now be heard from the Eastern Seaboard to the West Coast, from the northern states down into Florida, Texas and the southwest.

In my view, this is a very accurate and competent explanation. Notice that it evokes a rather old dictionary which means that even in the 19th century the word "busia" was unknown in Poland (I also doubt that it was known earlier). If the PF wants to continue to rant about "busia" for ages, that's their choice, but I am sure nothing more could have ever be disclosed on the subject.

My dad was born in Pennsylvania in 1914; my grandparents came here from Poland (and never spoke English). Although they both passed when I was very young, I addressed them as Busha and Jaja. If I spelled these names incorrectly, I apologize. If calling my grandparents by these names makes me subject to ridicule, I have no idea why. Thanks.